Home entertainment systems and home control systems are well known in the art. Typically, a home entertainment system includes a television, a video playing device such as a video cassette recorder (VCR) or a digital video disc (DVD) player, a radio tuner, a compact disc (CD) player, a set of speakers, and a means for controlling the functionality of the home entertainment system. Furthermore, a home control system may also be incorporated into a home network, and include control of a security device and various light fixtures.
In both a typical home entertainment system and a home control system, each device of the respective systems works independently of the other devices and may be related to the other only in that each are connected to a central controller. Thus, if a consumer desired to listen to music played on a CD player, then the user enables the CD function of the controller, and places a particular CD into the CD player. However, other devices included within the home entertainment system would neither be aware of, nor be in communication with, these other devices.
Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) are available through various cable companies and satellite providers. EPGs provide users with the ability to determine when a particular program is scheduled to air, along with information regarding the program. However, although EPGs may provide information regarding programs being broadcast by a cable or satellite company, they are unable to provide information regarding the availability of certain CDs, DVDs, videotapes, radio stations, or the like, that may be accessible by the home network. It would be beneficial if a user could gain access to information regarding the various sources of media available on the user's home network.
The ability to retrieve and collect information from a worldwide network is also well known. For example, if a consumer wishes to find information regarding an artist from a particular CD, then the user can access the Internet and retrieve such information. This information may include other works produced by the artist, as well as various options for purchasing such works. However, it may be inconvenient for a user to access the Internet every time the user desired additional information regarding an artist from a particular CD, or an actor from a particular movie. Thus, making such information automatically available to the user would be a desirable feature.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method for automatically generating content channels based upon the audiovisual media being delivered on a particular device of a local network system. Further, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method for automatically generating channels relating to the specific devices connected to a local network system. Yet another desirable advantage would be to allow a user to modify and organize the channels in conformity with the user's preferences. These and other features and advantages are also made available by the present invention.